History Main / ThinkOfTheChildren

* In ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'', Gaston gets together an AngryMob by saying that the Beast [[EatsBabies would eat the town's children]].

MoralGuardians using an argument to create a [[YouCanPanicNow moral panic]] -- doing something will somehow, indirectly, hurt children. Somehow. You don't have to make a rational argument as long as you can appeal to {{Mama Bear}}s, {{Papa Wol|f}}ves, [[MyBelovedSmother Beloved Smothers]], {{Overprotective Dad}}s, and {{Knight Templar Parent}}s emotionally. This is a great way to rouse up an AngryMob, and the best/worst part is you don't even need any proof of your target's guilt or innocence; just use LogicalFallacies to make your target out to be a monster then use "''the children''" as a ChewbaccaDefense. In comedies, this type of character usually actually doesn't even care about the children at all and in the worst case scenario [[StrawHypocrite is even the one harming children]] [[BlameGame while deflecting blame off onto others as a scapegoat]].

TheNewRockAndRoll is invariably greeted with this reaction -- if it's something kids are doing that adults don't fully understand, it ''must'' be [[NewMediaAreEvil Eeevilll]]!

(''The mayor sets up a Bear Patrol, which predictably costs tax money. One week later, the complaints are back:'')\\

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0iN3UTQmw&feature=youtu.be Think Of the Children!]]'' name drops the trope, but it's actually an action game where players take on the roles of parents who must do their chores while [[InfantImmortality preventing their kids from killing themselves]].

* The ''WebAnimation/HowItShouldHaveEnded'' spoof of the teaser for ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' has Film/IronMan exclaim this, while begging Ultron to stop quoting such Disney songs as "[[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} I've Got No Strings]]" in his creepy MachineMonotone voice. Instead of stopping, Ultron quotes the then-newest Disney animated musical, ''Disney/{{Frozen}}''.

* [=JewWario=] cries "won't somebody think of the children?!" to get WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob to stop throwing {{Cluster F Bomb}}s at each other in ''WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}''. [[FunnyAneurysmMoment Everyone gives him a strange look.]]

MoralGuardians using an argument to create a [[YouCanPanicNow moral panic]] -- doing something will somehow, indirectly, hurt children. Somehow. You don't have to make a rational argument as long as you appeal to {{mama bear}}s, [[KnightTemplarParent crusading parents]], and [[OverprotectiveDad paranoid fathers]] emotionally. This is a great way to rouse up an AngryMob, and the best/worst part is you don't even need any proof of your target's guilt or innocence; just use LogicalFallacies to make your target out to be a monster then use "''the children''" as a ChewbaccaDefense. In comedies, this type of character usually actually doesn't even care about the children at all and in the worst case scenario [[StrawHypocrite is even the one harming children]] [[BlameGame while deflecting blame off onto others as a scapegoat]].

MoralGuardians using an argument to create a [[YouCanPanicNow moral panic]] -- doing something will somehow, indirectly, hurt children. Somehow. [[PaedoHunt Especially]] ''[[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape them]]''. You don't have to make a rational argument as long as you appeal to {{mama bear}}s, [[KnightTemplarParent crusading parents]], and [[OverprotectiveDad paranoid fathers]] emotionally. This is a great way to rouse up an AngryMob, and the best/worst part is you don't even need any proof of your target's guilt or innocence; just use LogicalFallacies to make your target out to be a monster then use "''the children''" as a ChewbaccaDefense. In comedies, this type of character usually actually doesn't even care about the children at all and in the worst case scenario [[StrawHypocrite is even the one harming children]] [[BlameGame while deflecting blame off onto others as a scapegoat]].

''[[ThinkOfTheChildren 'Cause there might be children]]''\\

* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'', while convincing Bayek to take a sidequest, the minor character Mouse spews a load of rapid-fire arguments for it, which includes a completely nonsensical ThinkOfTheChildren. Bayek's response: "[[ComicallyMissingThePoint I would not want the children on my conscience.]]"

* ''Theatre/TheChildrensHour'' is built around this. Mary's grandmother takes her out of her boarding school due to [[MaliciousSlander accusations]] that the [[TwoTeacherSchool two teachers]] are having [[MistakenForGay an affair]]. Due to her influential nature in the community, within weeks ''all'' of the other students' parents remove them from their school too. One of the {{Signature Scene}}s of the play and its second adaptation has Martha getting into an argument with Mrs. Tilford, who uses this excuse.

* Another U.S. attempt at policing the Internet "for the children" was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protecting_Children_from_Internet_Pornographers_Act_of_2011 Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act of 2011]], which would have forced [=ISPs=] to track the personal info of all their customers and all their Internet usage over the last 18 months, with said info being obtainable on suspicion of any crime, not just child porn ones, albeit only with a warrant and reasonable suspicion. Thankfully, following the predictable [[InternetBackdraft shitstorm]], the bill died in Congress, and while parts of it were later included in the Child Protection Act of 2012, the ISP tracking requirement was not.

* The '''Right to Censor''' was the Wrestling/WorldWrestlingFederation's response to criticism by the Parents Television Council over the WWF's storylines and threats to boycott its sponsors, over storylines that frequently included extreme violence ([[WouldHitAGirl including against women]]), profanity and scantily clad women. (The PTC had pointed out that children were frequent viewers of the WWF's television programs.) Led by Steven Richards, members of his faction – including Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather (Charles Wright changing his gimmick from the "Ho"-loving Godfather), Val Venis and Ivory – frequently interrupted matches that involved aspects the PTC criticized, including Tables-Ladders-Chairs matches and matches involving scantily dressed women. In storyline terms, the group reached its peak when they began harassing The Kat (Stacy Carter, Wrestling/JerryLawler's ex-wife) after she appeared topless during a live pay-per-view event. In contrast, the Right to Censor members wore conservative uniforms: a white button-up shirt and black tie, with black slacks for the men (although Val Venis wore white slacks on occasion) and a long black skirt for the women, which parodies the look of a Mormon missionary.
* On the 8/30/2007 Wrestling/{{TNA}} iMPACT, Karen Angle, trying to find a TagTeam partner for [[Wrestling/KurtAngle her husband]], tried to get Wrestling/{{Sting}} to go for it by saying they had the same value and talking about everything they could do for children with the influence that comes from being champions. Sting did become Angle's partner, but ''not'' because of Karen's sales pitch.
* Shouted by a crowd member at a WWE Raw taping in London when Wrestling/{{R|on Killings}}-Truth smoked a cigarette in a public building after a FaceHeelTurn.

* In ''HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory'', and its remake ''Re;Birth 3'', this is the sole motivation of [[WellIntentionedExtremist Agnes]], one of the Seven Sages and a parody of the kind of MoralGuardians that espouse this trope. On at least one occasion she talks the other Seven Sages out of committing certain acts - such as inciting all-out war between the [=CPUs=] in the hope that [[MutuallyAssuredDestruction they all destroy each other]] - because of the impact it would have on the nations' children.

-->''How can we explain this to our children, still kitted out in red? How can I explain to my daughter that it was only a friendly? How can I explain to her that Casillas wasn't playing? [[SeriousBusiness Why did you do this to our children?]]'' [[note]](I would like to reiterate that this was a match with absolutely ''nothing'' at stake, only two months removed from Spain reaching the absolute pinnacle of the entire sport.)[[/note]]

* The ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act Communications Decency Act]]'' was a federal law passed in the United States notable as the first attempt by the U.S. government to censor the Internet. Its primary effect was to essentially limit all speech on the Net to a level of discourse suitable for children, and pretty much ''only'' children, on the justification that children could read material on the Net. It and a somewhat less draconian successor law passed in 1998 were overturned as unconstitutional; a third, much more limited, attempt (the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) of 2000) managed to stick.
* Another US Internet law that claims to be for the children (disguised as a child porn bill), ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protecting_Children_from_Internet_Pornographers_Act_of_2011 PCIPA]]'', forces [=ISPs=] to track the personal info of all their customers and all their Internet usage over the last 18 months. This information can be obtained on suspicion of any crime, not just child porn. However, like any law, it will still require a warrant and reasonable suspicion, and as one [[{{Website/Reddit}} Redditor by the name Indyguy]] took it upon himself to [[http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/pwgo6/hr_1981_rep_lamar_smiths_second_gift_to_the_world/c3sxk4b dispel]] the rumors of the worst parts. Make no mistake, it's a bad bill, but it's not quite [[BigBrotherIsWatching Big Brother]]. Plus, it's essentially a rehash of a law that already failed to make it to the house floor for a vote; PCIPA is only scheduled for a debate on September 8th, in which it will undoubtedly be neutered to almost nothing, and even then, there's more than enough time for the internet to rally against it [[http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/snooping/ here]].
* The logic behind many state laws specifically restricting under-18 (and in some cases under-21) drivers but not those who are over the targeted age range, such as passenger limits, [[FascistsBedtime curfews]], and, in New Jersey, having to drive around with red decals on your license plates. All this in spite of the fact that the so-called "children" these politicians are [[ForYourOwnGood striving to protect]] are ''older teenagers'' and, in some cases, over 18.

** The 'Sandy Hook' school shooting was arguably the most famous incident of the mass murder of children with firearms in the USA in 2012. It made [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics the USA's policy on armaments]] a full-on FlameWar again, with ''everyone'' turning the event into a "for the children" argument. More specifically those wanting stricter gun control blamed USA's uniquely easy access to so-called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "military-grade weapons"]] for its uniquely bloody culture of suicides and massacres with firearms. At the same time, gun-enthusiasts blamed trends in news and mass media for 'raising a generation of serial killers". Others argued that something as precious as children should have more posted security or ways to defend itself.(''again''). [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we have to say about that.]]

** The 'Sandy Hook' school shooting was arguably the most famous incident of the mass murder of children with firearms in the USA in 2012. It made [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics the USA's policy on armaments]] a full-on FlameWar again, with ''everyone'' turning the event into a "for the children" argument. More specifically those wanting stricter gun control blamed USA's uniquely easy access to so-called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "military-grade weapons"]] for its uniquely bloody culture of suicides and massacres with firearms. At the same time, gun-enthusiasts blamed trends in mass media and violent videogames for 'raising a generation of serial killers' (''again''). [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we have to say about that.]]

-->"Do you really believe that a [[CallForward human and a Vulcan can have a future together]]? Imagine the shame your children would endure, assuming that the two of you could have children."

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''. T'Pol's mother isn't happy about her daughter's romance with Trip Tucker.

* One Advertising/CompareTheMeerkat advert was about how people confusing Compare The Meerkat for Compare The Market was destroying the meerkat town Meerkovo. One part centred on how it was destroying the school and the kids were no longer able to learn. If only people knew the difference between the two websites!

* A mild example in the original ''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet''; when Doris Walker fires the Macy's Parade Santa Claus for being drunk on the job, she asks Kris Kringle if he can fill in. Initially he refuses but after a few seconds thought decides to accept the job, saying, "The children mustn't be disappointed."

* In the book ''Literature/HeirApparent'' by Vivian Vande Velde, the plot is put into motion by a group called Citizens to Protect Our Children. According to the protagonist, they "strongly believe that only G-rated movies should be made and libraries should only stock nice, friendly, uplifting books, which means nothing supernatural or scary. Which just about kills my entire reading list". They go after the gaming company that she's going to to spend a gift certificate, under the excuse that violence and magic are inappropriate for their children. They later subvert their intended mission, because while the main character is in the game they break into the center and smash up the equipment, causing it to be susceptible to overheating which, unless the game is completed in time, will fry the girl's brain. She lives, though, and in the end the head of the company (a boy about a year older than she is) says that "they're going to get their asses fried for endangering a minor". It's a take on how hypocritical censorship groups are, going after the companies when it's their ''kids'' that are going to the places in the first place!

-->''The name of Lady Hypatia Smythe-Brown (now Lady Hypatia Hagg) will never be forgotten in the East End, where she did such splendid social work. Her constant cry of'' '''"Save the children!"''' ''referred to the cruel neglect of children's eyesight involved in allowing them to play with crudely painted toys. She quoted unanswerable statistics to prove that children allowed to look at violet and vermillion often suffered from failing eyesight in their extreme old age; and it was owing to her ceaseless crusade that the pestilence of the Monkey-on-the-Stick was almost swept from Hoxton.''

* In Matt Fishel's [[https://youtu.be/ogsbUiSY2TU Radio Friendly Pop Song]] the singer literally uses the lines "Are you thinking about the children/ Think about the children" kind of sarcastically imitating homophobic predjudices that children shouldn't be confronted with homosexuality. (This is at least part of the reason for the sarcastic song title since the song brings up homophobia as an issue for gay artists as musicians are told that they can only be sucessful if their songs are [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday very heterosexual]].) However, the line is resolved shortly afterwards with the [[SeriousMode reply]] "Are you never gonna get it?/ [[KidHasAPoint The kids already know!]]"

* The '''Right to Censor''' was the Wrestling/WorldWrestlingFederation's response to criticism by the Parents Television Council over the WWF's storylines and threats to boycott its sponsors, over storylines that frequently included extreme violence ([[WouldHitAGirl including against women]]), profanity and scantily clad women. (The PTC had pointed out that children were frequent viewers of the WWF's television programs.) Led by Steven Richards, members of his faction – including Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather (Charles Wright changing his gimmick from the "Ho"-loving Godfather), Val Venis and Ivory – frequently interrupted matches that involved aspects the PTC criticized, including Tables-Ladders-Chairs matches and matches involving scantily dressed women. In storyline terms, the group reached its peak when they began harassing The Kat (Stacy Carter, Wrestling/JerryLawler's ex-wife) after she appeared topless during a live pay-per-view event. In contrast, the Right to Censor members wore conservative uniforms: a white button up shirt and black tie, with black slacks for the men (although Val Venis wore white slacks on occasion) and a long black skirt for the women, which parodies the look of a Mormon missionary.

* ''Theatre/TheChildrensHour'' is built around this. Mary's grandmother takes her out of her boarding school due to [[MaliciousSlander accusations]] that the [[TwoTeacherSchool two teachers]] are having [[MistakenForGay an affair]]. Due to her influential nature in the community, within weeks ''all'' of the other students parents remove them from their school too. One of the {{Signature Scene}}s of the play and its second adaptation has Martha getting into an argument with Mrs. Tilford, who uses this excuse.

* Not a straight example, but the very first chapter of ''VideoGame/HerosRealm'' is called "Won't Somebody Please Think Of The Children?" It does however involve some dubious acts like crossing border lines and promising to free prisoners to kill someone on grounds of kidnapping.

** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E2BrothersLittleHelper Brother's Little Helper]]", Bart got his hands on a [[TankGoodness tank]] and was initially making it seem as though he was going to use it on the school. Mrs. Krabappel's reaction is a [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan]] "No, stop, think of the children." while smoking a cigarette. [[spoiler:He was actually intending to fire at a MLB satellite that was spying on the town, something of which only Bart seemed to be aware.]]

** According to a PEGI report the average age of people who buy games in Europe is 35 and the amount of games that are for people aged 16 to 18 is around 10%, only 1% of the total games published is suitable for 18 and over. You wouldn't know any of this if you followed the news, as a recent report about an agreement about 18+ games showed in the Netherlands: "kids as young as 11 years old could buy these games" (at a €60 pricetag, which is a lot of money for a 11 year old).
** According to article 240a of the Dutch penal code, you cannot give harmful content to minors. This is 16+ material in video content (including porn) and 18+ with video games. You will get fined if you give this to kids, they have "mystery guests" roaming the country to see if you actually check their age. Despite this, there's still the persistent belief among parents that everyone can get a 18+ game from the store and that "something must be done".

** With regards to Australian attitudes, there wasn't a rating of R18+ available for video games until it was allowed in early 2013. Back then, if a game did anything that the ratings board felt was too adult, it was either cut, or banned. Sometimes, these decisions made absolutely no sense. ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' was banned in Australia due to a drug being named Morphine rather than the violence.
** And because of Australia's rather harsh policies of censorship of video games, it will affect their Kiwi neighbours. However Video Game publishers failed to recognise NZ's Rating System because they felt that New Zealand uses the same rating system as Australia but it is not. NZ uses a traffic system for ratings (Green is for General, Yellow is for Parental Guidance or Suggested for Mature Audiences 16 and over and Red is for age-restricted. It starts from R13, then R15, R16 and finally R18).

* The Australian Labor Party proposed a (now unlikely to see the light of day) web filter which many have criticised for reasons ranging from denial of freedom of speech (justified by the leaked blacklist) to the practical, such as it slowing it down to dial-up speeds. Everyone from Telstra to Google, to UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton and the US ambassador speaking out against it, which have been completely ignored. The supposed aim of the filter was to protect the children from accessing pornography, and stifling child porn online. However, the Coalition has followed the Greens in agreeing to not to vote in favor of the Internet Censorship bill when it appears in parliament, thus denying the Bill the majority it needs to pass through government. It is now virtually impossible for the filter to be implemented.

* This trope combines with ButNotTooGay when conservative-minded parents went batshit about an episode of ''Series/{{Glee}}'' where [[spoiler:Kurt and Blaine]] had a ''very'' passionate kissing scene (in actuality the kiss only lasted a couple seconds and was almost completely closed lipped). The loudest complaints were that it was "inappropriate for children." Never mind that the scene was both well-written and completely in character, or that there are ''far'' worse things to worry about in ''Series/{{Glee}}'' than a make-out scene -- apparently this is worth all of their vitriol because it's between two ''guys'' rather than one girl and one guy. When sensible people ask why someone would let children watch a TV-14 rated show involving ''underage sex, teen pregnancy, drug-use, and rampant discrimination,'' the parents usually fall back on "[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids It's a musical show about high-school!]]"

** Fast food companies and other "junk food" distributors have been facing increasing criticism for advertising products toward children. Some groups and individuals advocate banning "Happy Meals" and similar food combos to "protect the children." True, parents are usually the ones buying that food; but fast food places ''will'' allow children to buy food if they can pay for it, and [=McDonalds=] has provided food for school breakfasts. Vending machines on school grounds are special targets of frustration, since children ''choose'' to buy junk food and soda from them.
** The 'Sandy Hook' school shooting was arguably the most famous incident of the mass murder of children with firearms in the USA in 2012. It made [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics the USA's policy on armaments]] a full on FlameWar again, with ''everyone'' turning the event into a "for the children" arguement. More specifically those wanting stricter gun control blamed USA's uniquely easy access to so-called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "military-grade weapons"]] for its uniquely bloody culture of suicides and massacres with firearms. At the same time gun-enthusiasts blamed trends in mass media and violent videogames for 'raising a generation of serial killers' (''again''). [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we have to say about that.]]

* This was followed in ca. 1945-1955 by an anti-comicbook crusade in several Western countries which led to the passing of child-protection laws e. g. in Britain, France and West Germany, and to the setting up of a self-censorship body, [[UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode the Comics Code Authority]], in the United States. Here too the protection of children was invoked, as embodied e. g. by the scaremongering title of Fredric Wertham's (in)famous book ''Seduction of the Innocent'', although the anti-comicbook forces - which ranged across the socio-political spectrum of the countries concerned - were far from unanimous as to what children had to be protected from. Some focused on depictions of violence, others on sexual or homosexual content, others on the dangers to children's literacy.
* This is the reason you don't see comic books at UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}} anymore in the U.S.: [[KnightTemplarParent certain parents]] kept throwing [[TheFundamentalist a tantrum]] because they were selling titles like ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}''. Averted in Mexico and probably elsewere.

* The documentary ''In Whose Honor?'', arguing against sports teams' use of Native American mascots, relies heavily on this trope. The beginning of the documentary focuses on a Spokane woman's description of her young children's reactions to a Fighting Illini game she took them to.

** The 'Sandy Hook' school shooting was arguably the most famous incident of the mass murder of children with firearms in the USA in 2012. It made [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics the USA's policy on armaments]] a full on FlameWar again, with ''everyone'' turning the event into a "for the children" arguement. More specifically those wanting stricter gun control blamed USA's uniquely easy access to so-called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "military-grade weapons"]] for its uniquely bloody culture of suicides and massacres with firearms. At the same time gun-enthusiasts blamed trends in mass media and violent videogames for 'raising a generation of serial killers' (''again''). [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we have to say about that.]]

** The 's 'Sandy Hook' school shooting was arguably the most famous incident of the mass murder of children with firearms in the USA in 2012. It made [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics the USA's policy on armaments]] a full on FlameWar again, with ''everyone'' turning the event into a "for the children" arguement. More specifically those wanting stricter gun control blamed USA's uniquely easy access to so-called [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "military-grade weapons"]] for its uniquely bloody culture of suicides and massacres with firearms. At the same time gun-enthusiasts blamed trends in mass media and violent videogames for 'raising a generation of serial killers' (''again''). [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we have to say about that.]]

** However, this happens rarely in the later episodes, probably because the voice actress for Helen Lovejoy (who was also the voice actress for Ned Flanders' wife, Maude) left the show and the writers pretty much kept her in the background and only bring her out in crowd scenes. Though the writers started subverting the natural pattern, an indication of an attempt to keep the joke fresh. For instance, in the episode where Homer and Marge rekindle their sex life by getting busy in public places, get cornered in the miniature golf course and flee before being seen, leaving their clothes for the crowd to find. As the crowd gasps at the idea of two people running around naked, Moe says the line while Helen is in the frame just to fool with the audience.